Assemblywoman Monique Chandler-Waterman is a dedicated community leader, public servant, and New York State legislator representing the 58th Assembly District in Brooklyn, which includes East Flatbush, parts of Canarsie, Brownsville and Crown Heights. A lifelong Brooklyn resident and daughter of Jamaican and Barbadian immigrants, she brings deep roots in community service and advocacy to her work in the State Assembly.

Born on January 14, 1981, Chandler-Waterman was raised in East Flatbush and began her education in the neighborhood’s public schools. She later graduated from Boys and Girls High School, earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Berkeley College, and went on to receive an MBA from the Metropolitan College of New York, grounding her lifelong commitment to community empowerment in both academic and real-world experience.

Chandler-Waterman’s career in public service and community work began early. In 2005, she helped organize local block associations and quickly became known for her leadership on youth and education issues. In 2008 she co-founded a small nonprofit dedicated to providing wraparound services – academic, cultural, mental health, and violence-prevention programs – to families in her community. Over time, the organization became a cornerstone for neighborhood support and enrichment. Her service also includes roles such as Civilian Advisor for the NYPD’s 67th Precinct, leadership in local block associations, and directing community outreach for then-City Council Member Jumaane Williams. Chandler-Waterman also worked on front-line public health and outreach efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic as Outreach Director for New York City’s Test & Trace Corps.

In May 2022, Chandler-Waterman was elected to the New York State Assembly in a special election to succeed long-time legislator Nick Perry after his appointment as U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica. She won with a commanding majority, reflecting strong community support for her vision of equitable education, affordable housing, expanded health services, and comprehensive public safety solutions. As an Assemblywoman, she serves on multiple legislative committees – including Children and Families, Election Law, Higher Education, Housing, Mental Health, Small Business, and others – where she works on policies that impact families, education, economic opportunity, and community well-being.

At the heart of Chandler-Waterman’s legislative leadership is her active participation in key Assembly committees that shape policy on issues vital to families, neighborhoods, and economic opportunity. She serves on the Committee on Children and Families, Committee on Election Law, Committee on Higher Education, Committee on Housing, Committee on Mental Health, and Committee on Small Business. These assignments allow her to influence policy areas ranging from educational access and public health to economic development and family services. In addition to her formal committee roles, Chandler-Waterman’s leadership extends to her involvement in important legislative caucuses that amplify collective voices and policy priorities. She serves as Co-chair of the Anti-Gun Violence Subcommittee of the New York State, Black Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus, and the Co-Chair of Mental Health Subcommittee of the Black Legislative Taskforce in partnership with the AD 58 Taskforce. She also participates in the Legislative Women’s Caucus, which brings together women lawmakers to champion gender equity and policies that support women and families and serves as Co-chair of the subcommittee on Gun Violence.

In addition, the New York State Black Legislative Task Force, where she advocates, along with several non-profits, including her in-district AD 58 taskforce, helped to secure a historic and unprecedented $30 million in the State Budget, to uplift under-resourced communities, and $37.6 billion was put towards public schools. Her recent advocacy has also included $8 million for Daniel’s Law pilot start-up programs, where the funding for these programs has served as a critical step toward implementing a peer-led, culturally competent response to mental health and substance use crises statewide.

She championed legislation to secure NYS Office of Gun-Violence Prevention, allowing it to play a central role in New York State’s efforts to address gun violence. This expansion ensured that this office is permanent in state statute will guide in coordination of agencies, stakeholders, public education campaigns and training, grant funding, data collection, hospital intervention programs and wraparound services, inclusive of mental health and trauma support while taking recommendation from community stakeholders to inform appropriate response to the community violence. In her continued efforts to eradicate gun violence the NYS Office of Victim Services, through the budget is now able to provide increased burial expense coverage. The statutory cap will now be raised from $6,000 to $12,000 and allows for more financial relief to the grieving families who deserve it with no judgement to the victim.

Chandler-Waterman’s leadership extends beyond legislative matters; she remains deeply engaged with her constituents through community events, cultural celebrations, and recognition ceremonies that honor local achievement and uplift neighborhood voices. She has championed initiatives to celebrate cultural heritage and strengthen civic engagement across diverse Brooklyn communities. Her leadership has been recognized by numerous organizations, earning honors such as the New York City Council’s Shirley Chisholm Woman of Distinction Award, the Caribbean Life Impact 40 Under 40 Award, the UFT School Safety Award, and several community service citations acknowledging her longstanding commitment to advocacy and equity.

A proud advocate for equity and inclusion, Chandler-Waterman has also been recognized for her community impact with numerous honors throughout her career. She resides in East Flatbush with her husband, Eric Waterman, and their four children, where her family’s ongoing engagement with local schools and neighborhoods continues to inform her work as a legislator.